Law & Order: Leanbox
by DeraldSny
Summary: In Leanbox's criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate, yet equally important, groups: the police who investigate crime, and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders. This is one of their stories.
1. Prologue

_In Leanbox's criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate, yet equally important, groups: the police who investigate crime, and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders._

 _This is one of their stories._

 ***CHUNG-CHUNG***

It was a clear, starry night on the outskirts of Leanbox City.

A red convertible pulled up to a rocky out cropping, an NPC male driving with a female NPC in the passenger seat.

"Here we are," the shadow-man declared.

"What sort of place is this for a romantic getaway?!" his date complained.

"Aww, don't you remember? This is where we first met," the man attempted to jog his girlfriend's memory. Pointing, he continued, "See, I was standing right up there trying to steel myself to do a daredevil stunt by jumping off there... and then you pushed me."

"Oh!" the woman gasped. "Now I remember! You ended up with a broken arm and some fractured ribs. You were in the hospital for weeks..."

"And you were at my side every day," the NPC man finished.

"And I'm still at your side every day," the woman said suggestively, leaning over to kiss her love...

Only for several reports to ring out beyond the cliff. "Wh-what is that?!" she gasped.

"Sounds like gunfire...!" her boyfriend replied. Suddenly, what appeared to a be a yellowish- swirling ball of energy appeared from atop the small cliff, thankfully angling to the left as it descended, before disappearing behind some boulders. "What the hell-?!" Coming to a decision, the NPC unbuckled his seat belt before opening the car door. "Call the police!" he ordered.

"What are you doing? Don't be stupid!" his girlfriend protested, even as she pulled out her cell phone.

However, instead of foolishly trying to follow the energy ball, the-shadow-man began to quickly climb the cliff where it had come from... reaching the top, he looked around, soon spotting what appeared to be a human shape laying on the ground. Running toward the downed figure, he seized up in horror as he got a better look. "Oh, dear Goddess...!"

It was a man decked out in full Leanbox military combat gear, holding a machine gun in one hand... with a large, sizzling hole through his chest.

 _*A little later...*_

"Oh, man, not again," Detective Eddie Green moaned as he got out of the car. The tall young Caucausian ran a hand through his combed blond hair as his partner got out of the passenger's seat.

"What's up, Eddie?" stated said partner- an older man with grey-brown hair, a few wrinkles surrounding his gray eyes, standing a little shorter than Green. "You seen this sort of thing before?"

"Well, it's just, my first homicide case involved Leanbox military- but that time he was the accused, not the victim. Anyway, JAG ended up hijacking the investigation, things got so outta hand, Lady Vert herself had to get involved!" He heaved a sigh. "All because I overlooked a critical contradiction in the evidence..."

"Well, hey, that's what you got me here for," Eddie's partner reassured him. As the two detectives approached the body, he called out to the ME, "Hey, whadda we got?"

"Exactly what it looks like," the medical examiner- a black-shadowed NPC- deadpanned. "Leanbox Army officer, one shot through the chest, instant game over."

"You know what weapon was used?" Eddie's partner inquired.

"Well judging from the burnt flesh, and the size of the hole, I'd have to say it was a high-powered plasma cannon of some sort," the ME explained.

"Aw, nasty!" Eddie Green groaned as he looked over the body.

"What about his gun?" the older detective pointed.

"Several rounds expended," stated the ME. "He went down shooting, at least..."

"You got an ID?" Eddie asked a nearby NPC officer.

"Yeah, just ran his armor's serial number," the policeman muttered as he checked his mobile device. "Second Lieutenant Joseph Starr, 82nd Unit. No next of kin."

"Detectives!" another officer ran up. "We got footprints back here!" The two men followed the NPC a few feet behind the body, seeing several footprints in the ground.

"Looks like the same sole pattern as the victim's boots," Eddie's partner observed.

"So he wasn't fighting alone?" Green mused. "So where do the footprints lead to?"

"Well, it looks like they ran back here... and then vanished," the officer stated. "But given the pattern that the sand was blown away here..."

"Hovercraft," the older detective sighed. "Figures, can't ever be easy..."

"Yeah, but if the victim was fighting alongside several of his colleagues, that means we'd have a bunch of witnesses, right, Mr. Crisco?" Eddie pointed out.

"How many times do I gotta tell ya, it's _Bennie,"_ his partner insisted. "Feel old enough without you calling me 'mister'..."

"You old enough to remember when Leanbox soldiers *didn't* cut and run at the first casualty?" the NPC officer snarked.

"Yeah," muttered Bennie as he looked back at the corpse. "So much for 'never leaving a man behind...'"

 **LAW**

Starring Bernard Crisco

Edward Green

And Lita Von Braun

 **ORDER**

Starring Jared McCoy

Rizzoli Isles

And Allen Curmudgeon

 **LAW & ORDER: LEANBOX**

 _Authored by Derald Snyder_

 _Original Concept by Dick Wolf_

 _Hyperdimension Neptunia by Idea Factory and Compile Heart_


	2. LAW, Part 1

Here's the next part... just so we're clear, this is only going to be a one-off story, not a new series...

Author Candidate-James Scott- Glad I've piqued your interest.

ROCuevas- It's probably going to be a little more low-key than 'Rei Ryghts: Ace Attorney', but I hope you enjoy it, regardless.

Arantir- Hopefully crazy good... :P

Guest- Eh, sorry, nothing more supernatural than usual for the Neptunia series.

MKoll- You're thinking of CSI: Miami... V_V;

And now, ON WITH THE SHOW!

Law & Order: Leanbox

LAW, Part 1

By Derald Snyder

"...this place was where my girl and I first met," stated the NPC witness as he leaned on the hood of his car, talking with Bennie Crisco. "Never thought we'd be driving up on a gunfight..."

"So what prompted you to climb up the cliff?" the older detective asked.

The NPC sighed. "Look, I know this is gonna sound crazy, but I saw... like, this swirling ball of energy coming from the top of the cliff! For a moment I though it might come down on us..."

"OK, well where did it come down?" Bennie asked.

"Somewhere over there, I think," The NPC pointed to the boulders to the left. "Figured I'd see where it came from, that's how I found the body."

"Hey, get someone from Forensics over there!" Bennie shouted to a nearby officer, who nodded. "You see or hear anything else?"

"Well, we heard gunfire before the energy ball appeared..." the shadow-man muttered.

Meanwhile, Eddie Green was busy grilling the girlfriend. "So you said you heard gunfire. Did you happen to hear anything else? Like say, a hovercraft taking off?"

"...well, now that you mention it," the shadow-girl mused, "I think did hear something like a hovercraft when that energy ball appeared. You know, if I'd been by myself and seen that, I'd think I'd have been hallucinating!"

"Anything else you can recall?" Eddie pressed, only to get a helpless shrug in response. "Well OK... if you remember anything else," he handed the NPC his card, "you give us a call, OK?" The woman nodded.

"Detecives!" an officer called. "We found something!" Eddie and Bennie followed the officer, working their way around the boulders where the strange energy ball had landed.

"We've got footprints," stated the forensic worker when the two arrived. "They go running off toward the highway..."

"Wait, so that 'energy ball' was a human?" Eddie said, confused.

"Either that or a bipedal monster wearing boots," the NPC snarked. "From the shape, it looks like they're female."

"So maybe that energy ball the witnesses saw was some kind of enhanced jump?" Bennie guessed.

"Either that or it was an illusion," suggested Green. At his partner's look of disbelief, he elaborated, "Y'know, so whoever saw her wouldn't know she was human or be able to identify her..." Turning back to the footprints, he muttered, "Wonder if she was trying to chase the victim's comrades in their hovercraft..."

"Well, that'd be an exercise in futility," Crisco deadpanned.

"Unless she was trying to shoot it down with her plasma cannon or whatever," Green countered.

"Maybe," Bennie deferred. "Well, probably not much else we can do tonight... might as well call it a night and get some sleep, start fresh in the morning..."

"Fine by me," Eddie yawned...

POLICE DEPARTMENT

CRIMINAL AFFAIRS

APRIL 4, 9:31 AM

As the two detectives walked into their work area, they saw a familiar face with long blond hair in their boss's office... "Well, speak of the goddess... looks like you were right, Eddie," muttered Crisco as the two walked up to the office and entered... Sure enough, it was Leanbox's CPU herself, with a white suit of armor standing to her left, Eddie and Bennie's boss standing across from them.

"You're late," stated the lieutenant, a woman about an inch or two shorter than Bennie, with short brown hair, black eyes, and tanned skin... despite her short stature, the woman radiated authority from her stance and stern stare.

"Hey, c'mon, we were burnin' the midnight oil last night," Bennie stated in mild protest. "Man's gotta get his beauty rest, y'know..."

"Detective Green!" Vert's eyes lit up in recognition. "It's nice to see you again."

"Hello, Lady Vert," Green bowed his head in respect to the goddess. "Have you met my new partner? This is Bernard Crisco."

"Nice to meet to meet you in person, ma'am," Bennie nodded as he politely shook hands with Vert.

"Crisco?" Vert asked curiously. "As in the cooking oil?"

"Yeah, that's right," the older man chuckled. "Once I'm on the trail of a criminal, their goose is as good as cooked," he winked, drawing a chuckle from the CPU. "And who might this be?" he gestured to the suit of armor.

"Peach, would you kindly remove your helmet?" Vert sighed. The woman promptly did so, revealing blond hair tied into a high ponytail with two small red bobbles, and expressive blue eyes set into a very cute face. "This is my bodyguard, former Staff Sergeant Peach C. Macintosh. Peach, this young man is Eddie Green, the detective who initially worked the case involving your boyfriend."

"Is that right," Peach grunted as she shook hands with the young man.

"Yeah, sorry for dropping the ball back then," Eddie apologized. "Good thing your boyfriend had a good attorney at his court-martial..."

"I'll forgive you," the soldier stated, "provided you don't drop the ball on this one..."

"Well, that's why I'm partnered with Mr. Crisco- uh, I mean, Bennie," Eddie quickly corrected himself at seeing his partner's disapproving glare. "Honestly, Lady Vert, I gotta thank you for having him and Lt. Van Braun transferred here, the place is finally starting to whip into shape thanks to these two..."

"Hey, I'm just giving 'em a good example to follow," Bennie said. "L-T's the one who's been really cracking the whip..."

"They needed it," Van Braun stated simply. "Anyway, Lady Vert was just telling me that she's managed to convince JAG to back off for now and let us handle this case."

"On the condition that someone from the military is watching over the investigation," Vert added. "That's why Peach is here- she's going to be tagging along with you. I hope that won't be too much trouble..."

"Fine by me," Eddie shrugged.

"Just as long as she doesn't get in the way of us doing our jobs," Bennie insisted.

"Oh, no, sir," Peashy shook her head. "I want us to work together. After all, if the victim is one of my former brothers-in-arms, that makes this personal for me. Speaking of which... who was it that was murdered?"

"Second Lieutenant Joseph Starr," Eddie replied, eliciting a gasp from Peach.

"You know him?" Bennie asked.

"...Can I see the body?" the soldier inquired. "I want to be sure..."

 _*At the medical examiner's room...*_

The sheet was pulled back, revealing the victim's face... "It's him!" Peach gasped as she recoiled slightly in recognition. "Oh, Adrian's not gonna be happy about this..."

"Adrian?" Bennie asked.

"Her boyfriend," Eddie clarified. "He's the one that was accused before..."

"Yeah..." the blonde nodded. "He and Adrian were really tight back in the day, before they got transferred to separate units... I got along pretty good with him, too..."

"Oh, Peach, I'm so sorry," Vert sighed as she gently embraced her bodyguard.

Peach swallowed, trying to hold back tears, before asking, "How did he die?"

"High-powered plasma cannon shot to the chest," Eddie said. "If it's any consolation, he was probably dead before he hit the ground..."

"Speaking of which, we wanted to talk to his buddies in 82nd Unit," stated Bennie. "Maybe if you're with us, that'll put 'em a bit more 'at ease', so to speak..."

"...right, I understand," Peach agreed.

"Are you certain you'll be all right?" Vert asked.

"With all due respect, Lady Vert, if I went to pieces over every dead comrade, I wouldn't have been fit for the army to begin with." The sergeant heaved another sigh. "Don't worry, I'll keep it together, I promise..."

"Just as long as you don't lose it and beat the crap outta the perp before we have a chance to arrest her," Bennie said.

"Well, I wish you the best of luck," Vert nodded.

 _*To be continued...*_

So what do you think so far? Leave a review!


	3. LAW, Part 2

The investigation continues...

Author Candidate-James Scott- All I'm gonna say is that the shooter is not any of the canon Neptunia characters...

ROCuevas- Here's another chapter for you to enjoy!

Law & Order: Leanbox

LAW, Part 2

by Derald Snyder

MILITARY BASE

MESS HALL

APRIL 4, 11:17 AM

Bennie Crisco, Eddie Green, and Peach in full armor walked into the mess hall, where several soldiers were eating an early lunch.

"Hey!" called Bennie, holding up his detective's badge. "Any of you from 82nd Unit? We need to ask some questions!"

"Yeah, we wanna get justice for Joe!" Peashy called out. A few voices called to her in recognition, while one man stood up from his lunch and turned to face the detectives as they approached.

"You from 82nd Unit?" Bennie asked.

"Yes sir!" the man saluted. "Corporal Michael Fitzgerald, 82nd Unit. Although, truth be told, I was expecting JAG..."

"Lady Vert pulled a few strings," Peach explained. "Given what happened last time with Adrian..."

"Yeah, I heard about that. Glad he was acquitted," Fitzgerald nodded.

"So you were there last night?" Eddie pressed.

The corporal heaved a sigh. "Yeah, I was there... poor Joe, never knew what hit him..."

"Well, why don't we go talk somewhere a little more private?" Bennie suggested.

 _*At the interrogation room...*_

"Joe was like family to us," Fitzgerald sighed as he sat at the table, Peach sitting across from him with her helmet removed, Bennie and Eddie standing off to the sides. "Hell... we *were* Joe's family, he was an only child, his parents died from illness not long after he joined the army... He didn't deserve to die like that."

"So what were you all doing out there?" Bennie asked.

"Picking up some ordnance from a supplier," the corporal replied. "We were just finishing up when this suit of armor shows up outta nowhere, yellin' at us. Major gave the order to open fire, so we did. Thought we had 'em pinned down, and then- BOOM! -Joe goes down. Big hole in his chest..." he paused to inhale deeply. "Anyway, we got the order to retreat, so we piled in the transport and took off. We could hear that guy shooting after us..."

"And you just left Joe behind," Peach said in an accusatory tone.

"Like we had a choice!" Fitzgerald protested. "Look, none of us wanted to be the next guy with a hole in him... Besides, Major Tom said he'd contact JAG first thing in the morning..."

"Who's this Major Tom?" Eddie interrupted.

"Thomas Peloton," Peashy answered. "He's the head of 82nd Unit. I've met him before... one of the few guys who could hold his own against me in hand-to-hand combat."

"You remember any details about the guy that shot your brother-in-arms?" Bennie inquired.

Fitzgerald heaved another sigh. "Well, it was pretty dark out... but that armor seemed pretty streamlined... almost feminine. Think he or she had a big cannon on one arm..."

"Like a plasma cannon?" Eddie guessed.

"Could've been," the soldier shrugged. "But that beam that killed Joe was orange-red. I thought plasma was supposed to be green-colored..."

"I think it depends on the type of plasma or firearm used," Eddie pondered.

"Anything else you can remember?" Bennie pressed.

"Like I said, it was dark out, and things happened pretty fast," Fitzgerald sighed.

"OK, well we're gonna wanna talk to your commander, get his side of the story," said Eddie.

"He should be in his office right now," the soldier stated.

"I know where his office is," Peach spoke up. Standing, she leaned over and gently clasped the corporal's hand in her own. "I promise you, we are _going_ to find who did this to Joe, mark my words."

Corporal Fitzgerald sighed and nodded in gratitude...

OFFICE OF

THOMAS PELOTON

APRIL 4, 12:03 PM

"It's good to see you again, Sergeant," Peloton said as he shook hands with Peach. He had dirty blond hair, cut in the usual military buzz cut, a sharp nose, and small grey eyes, with a slightly tanned skin complexion. "I only wish it were under better circumstances..."

"You and me both, Major," Peashy nodded. "This is Detectives Green and Crisco," she introduced her companions.

"Charmed," the major nodded as he shook hands with them both. "JAG gave me a heads-up that you were coming..."

"We already got the gist of what happened from Corporal Fitzgerald," Bennie began, "but we wanted to hear your side of things..."

"Not much I can add then," Peloton shrugged. "I was busy getting the last of the cargo loaded up during the firefight."

"But you were the one that gave the order to open fire," Eddie pointed out. "So you must have seen the perp..."

"Only a shadow," Peloton replied, "but I definitely heard her voice..."

"So it *was* a woman," stated Peach.

"You remember exactly what she said?" Eddie Green asked.

"Something along the lines of 'Stop right there, bastards!'," the major recalled. "I didn't see much, but I _did_ see that big cannon on her arm, that's why I gave the order. Joe was at the front of the group, that's probably why he got targeted..."

"But something's bothering me, major," Peashy cut in. "Why were you picking up ordnance at that time of night, and in that particular spot? I know I'm not the brightest bulb, but it doesn't make any sense to me..."

Tom Peloton sighed as he clasped his hands and lowered his head. "Well, that supplier was on a pretty tight schedule... late at night was the only time they had available to deliver to us. I told 'em, to meet us at that place because it wasn't too far off the highway, not to mention a pretty recognizable landmark- they call it Daredevil's Drop, y'know? Anyway, I told 'em they could just drop it off there and then be on their way lickety-split."

"We're gonna need the name of that supplier," Bennie insisted.

"Yeah, sure, I'll write it down for you," Peloton nodded.

"Any reason you could think of why this lady would target you and your men?" Eddie asked.

"Couldn't say," the major shrugged as he pulled a pad of paper from his desk drawer. "But given that she called us bastards, maybe she mistook us for organized crime or something, maybe a bounty hunter. But hey, I'm just guessing." He then sat down and began to write...

 _*Back at police headquarters...*_

"Well, the major's story seems to check out," Bennie reported to Lita Van Braun. "We contacted the supplier, Ripley Weapons Supply, and they confirmed the meet. But they said their truck was already gone by the time that bounty hunter or whoever showed up."

"So all we know is that the shooter is female, in sleek armor and with a plasma cannon," the police lieutenant summarized. "And if she's a bounty hunter like the major figures, that's gonna make it hard to track her down..."

"Wait, wait, I got an idea," Eddie suddenly broke in. "There's a bar not too far up the highway from Daredevil's Drop, host to quite a few unsavory characters. Maybe our shooter could've stopped in for a drink, or someone there saw something... Not a place you wanna go in without back up, though."

"Well, good thing I'm here, then," Peach smirked as she punched a fist into her hand. "Wouldn't mind having an excuse to cut loose..."

"Not unless you have to," Lita sternly warned her. "And on that note, you might wanna dress casual for this one, Sergeant. They see you in full armor, they might be tempted to shoot first and ask questions later..."

"Yes, ma'am," Peashy nodded in assent.

 _*To be continued...*_

As always, leave a review if you liked it!


	4. LAW, Part 3

And now, another chapter for your reading enjoyment!

Author Candidate-James Scott- bar brawl no, chase yes.

DaToskin- Shady business? You may be onto something...

ROCuevas- Not exactly 'undercover', just being a little low-key'...

And now, ON WITH THE SHOW!

Law & Order: Leanbox

LAW, Part 3

by Derald Snyder

REMOTE JAILBREAK BAR

APRIL 4, 2:13 PM

As Peashy and the detectives entered the bar, the former now dressed in a white t-shirt under a yellow hoodie and black denim jeans, several catcalls rose from the mostly male crowd.

"Bombshell at 10 'o'clock!" exclaimed one of the men, causing the blonde soldier to sigh in mild exasperation. Her D-cup bust really was a curse sometimes...

"Sorry, fellas, she's spoken for!" Bennie proclaimed as he held up his detective's badge, to try and head off any potential altercations...

Unfortunately, one large, burly NPC failed to get the hint as he stood and approached the three. "Ya don't speak for me!" he stated, shoving both Crisco and Green aside. "C'mon, pretty thing, let's ditch these two losers and go party somewhere private!"

Peach was unimpressed. "I can tell you're not gonna take no for an answer, so... let's party!" With that, she struck the brute in the solar plexus, stunning him, before quickly spinning him around and slamming him into the bar, twisting his arm painfully behind his back.

 _"AAAAAAAgggghh!_ Easy, easy!" the brute screamed in agony.

"Did I mention that I used to be a close-quarters-combat teacher in the Leanbox Army?" Peashy taunted. "See, those two weren't protecting me from you... they were protecting *you* from *me*!"

"Hey!" shouted the bartender as he walked up. "If you're gonna tussle, take it outside!"

"Yeah, you heard the man," said Peach as she forcefully shoved the brute toward the door. "Go outside and don't come back!" The large man didn't even bother to look back as he stumbled out the door, nursing his sore arm. That done, Peach dusted off her hands and took a seat. "Sorry about that, sir... but I *do* have a right to defend myself."

"Anyway, now that we've got your attention," Bennie spoke up, "maybe you can help us out with a few things."

The bartender glared at the older detective disapprovingly. "I ain't no rat."

"We're not asking you to rat out anybody," said Eddie. "We just wanna know if you know anything about what went down at Daredevil's Drop last night."

"Daredevil's Drop?" the bartender shrugged. "I only know what I saw on the news... some kinda shootout or somethin', right?"

"Something like that," Peach nodded.

"Yeah, see, we think the guy we're lookin' for might've stopped in here for a drink," Crisco explained. "You see any suspicious characters here the last day or so?"

"Look around, detective. _Everyone_ here's suspicious," the bartender deadpanned. Peach said nothing, but simply pulled the sleeve of her hoodie back, exposing her well-toned forearm, before cracking her knuckles.

"...that being said," the man continued, "there was this one guy who came in recently, who I'd never seen before. Ordered the cheapest drink, keeps mostly to himself."

"So what's this guy look like?" Eddie pressed.

"Blonde, about six foot, with a mustache and beard," the bartender described. "Wears an old trench-coat..." He then looked around the detectives... "In fact... I think that's him goin' out the back door."

The three looked back, and sure enough, there was a figure in a trench-coat pushing through the door. "Hey, thanks!" Bennie nodded as they quickly left to pursue...

 _*Outside the bar...*_

"Hey! Hey pal, wait up!" Bennie called as he and his companions jogged after the blonde ponytailed man, who turned to face them, an irritated look in his blue eyes.

"Ah, c'mon," he spread his arms, "I settled my tab with the bar, OK?!"

"We're homicide, genius," Eddie said as they caught up.

"Homicide? What, like murder?" the man's eyes went wide. "Now wait, I ain't no killer...!"

"Hey, easy there," said Bennie, "We just wanna ask you a few questions!"

"What's your name?" Eddie asked.

"Seamus. Seamus Lisand," the ponytailed man replied.

"Hi Seamus, I'm Bennie," the older detective shook hands with the blonde. "So tell us, Seamus, did you happen to be up around Daredevil's Drop last night?"

"Where's that?" Seamus muttered in confusion.

"You know, that small cliff further up the highway," Eddie clarified.

"Ah, I didn't see nothing," the man muttered.

"HEY!" cried Peach. "You just looked down and to the left, that means you're lying!" With that, she seized the man by the coat, lifting him high up in the air.

 _"Waaaaaah!"_ Seamus let loose with a uncharacteristic high-pitched scream. "Help! Help! Put me down!"

"Yeah, sorry, we can't stop her when she gets pissed," Bennie shrugged helplessly. "She's stronger than both of us put together..."

"Maybe you wanna try jogging that memory of yours a little harder!" Eddie suggested.

"Yeah, 'cause if you don't," Peach growled, "I'm gonna punch you so hard, you're gonna end up in that trash can way down yonder!"

"OK! OK!" Seamus wailed. "I did see somethin', I did! Put me down, _ple-e-ease!"_

Peashy slowly lowered him back down to the ground. "All right. Now _talk."_

"Agh, look," Seamus began, "I didn't wanna say 'cause I didn't think anybody'd believe me...!"

"Well, we'll give ya the benefit of the doubt, OK?" Bennie assured him. "C'mon Peach, let 'im go." The blonde simply unclenched her hands, allowing Seamus to stumble back a few steps.

"Yeah, OK, I was there last night," the man began, "Just scrounging around for food or maybe some beer or pop cans I could turn for some dough, y'know? Anyway, I suddenly start hearin' gunfire past the cliff. I wonder what's gon' on, then the gunfire stops. Then, this bright ball of energy suddenly comes off the cliff and heads right for me or so I think! So I throw myself to the ground, but it turned out to be some futuristic suit of armor!"

"So what'd the armor look like?" asked Eddie.

"Uh..." Seamus closed his eyes in thought for a moment. "Sleek, wide hips, kinda orange-ish, I think... and a green visor. Oh, and it had a big cannon on the one arm!"

"So what happened next? Did she see you?" Peashy asked.

"I don't think so," the man shook his head, "or if she did, she didn't care... 'cause I heard a hovercraft or somethin' flyin' overhead, and she just took off running, firing 'er arm cannon! I just kinda waited until I couldn't hear anythin' anymore, then I got the hell outta dodge!" He paused to take a breath. "That's all I know, I swear..."

"Alright, well," Bennie handed Seamus his card, "You remember anything else, you give us a call, OK? Even if you gotta borrow the bartender's phone to do it..."

"Yeah, OK..." The man sighed. "But I was plannin' on heading back to Lowee soon... Soon as I got the money scraped together, anyway..."

"Well, you might wanna hold off on that bus trip for a little bit," Green advised. "After all, we might want to call you as a witness when we catch the perp..."

"Yeah, I get it..." Seamus waved him off. "Good luck findin' the guy..." With that, he sauntered off...

Once Seamus was out of earshot, Bennie spoke up, "Hey Eddie, you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

"What, you think he's still holding out on us?" Eddie guessed.

"Why let him go, then?" Peashy demanded.

"Well, it's not like we've got anything to hold him on," the older man explained. "So let's head back to the precinct and run a background check on 'im."

 _*Back at the precinct...*_

"Sorry, detectives," the NPC computer geek shrugged. "No record of a Seamus Lisand in Lowee's arrest record."

"What about military?" Eddie suggested.

"OK..." The NPC typed away at the keyboard for a few moments, before a 'FILE NOT FOUND' alert popped up. "Nothing there, either."

"How about just his last name, Lisand?" Bennie inquired.

The NPC initiated the search again, and this time a result popped up. "Well, I've got a _Samantha_ Lisand..."

"Bring it up," Bennie instructed. A very familiar face popped up on the screen, albeit clean-shaven.

"That's her!" cried Peashy. "I mean, him! I mean... ugh, you know what I mean."

"Well, I'll be damned," muttered Bennie. "Seamus is a girl. Talk about your paper-thin disguises..."

"Hey, check this out," Eddie pointed elsewhere on the screen. "Says right here that she's proficient with all types of firearms..."

"Like plasma cannons?" Peach ventured.

"Doesn't say specifically, but it does say she's decent with heavy artillery," the NPC stated.

"Well, if she can handle that, then she can handle a plasma cannon!" Peach asserted. "Isn't that what you guys call 'probable cause'?"

"Works for me," Bennie nodded. "Let's bring her in."

 _*A few minutes later...*_

The two detectives walked down the road, looking for Seamus... eventually spotting him in line to get on a bus. "Looks like he didn't listen to us," Green observed.

"Seamus! Hey, Seamus!" Bennie called... no response.

"Samantha!" yelled Eddie. That got the man's attention, as he abruptly looked up, eyes going wide as recognition registered... before suddenly breaking and running off.

"Ah, damn," sighed Bennie, as the two detectives gave chase. As they ran, Seamus threw off his trench coat, revealing a baggy t-shirt and jeans underneath as he continued to run...

"Geez, she's fast!" Eddie gasped as he tried to keep up... he was doing a better job than his partner, though, who was eventually forced to slow down and stop as his age caught up with him... Seamus rounded a corner, briefly looking behind him, wondering if he'd lost his pursuers...

Only to get clocked in the head by an armored fist, sending him sprawling on the ground. As his vision cleared, the ponytailed man saw a full suit of white military armor standing over him, who then pressed a foot to his crotch. "How about that," a female voice spoke from under the helmet, "You've got no balls... literally." With that, she grabbed Seamus by the shirt and hauled him up. "And it looks like you're wearing a sarashi under your shirt..." She then grabbed the blonde's mustache and beard, ripping them off her face. "Samantha Lisand, I presume..."

The woman simply gritted her teeth in response, as Eddie finally arrived on the scene. "Nice work, Peach," he managed to gasp out, bracing his hands on his knees as he panted heavily.

The armored woman then removed her helmet, revealing Peashy's face. "You...!" Samantha gasped in recognintion as they locked eyes.

"...his name was Joseph Starr," Peach growled, "And he was my friend." She accentuated her point by socking Lisand hard in the stomach, causing her to double over in pain.

"Hey... she assaulted me...!" Samantha protested to the detective.

"Sorry," Eddie gasped as he stood up, "Busy catching my breath, didn't see anything..."

"Of course you didn't," Peach smirked knowingly, before shoving the other woman to him. "She's all yours, Detective."

Eddie Green nodded as he pulled out a pair of handcuffs. "Samantha Lisand," he began, "You're under arrest for the murder of Lieutenant Joseph Starr." He cuffed her hands behind her back. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney..."

 _*LAW- End*_

Next up, the 'Order' part of the story, which will feature an appearance from everyone's favorite Neptunia final boss... Don't forget to review!


	5. ORDER, Part 1

And now, we begin the 'trial' portion of this story...

DaToskin- I *have* watched NCIS before, but wouldn't know which episode you'd be thinking of...

ROCuevas- Hope you have fun with this chapter too!

Author Candidate-James Scott- Samantha Lisand is lucky that's *all* Peashy did to her...

MKoll- You'll find out this chapter...

With that... ON WITH THE SHOW!

Law & Order: Leanbox

ORDER, Part 1

By Derald Snyder

"Docket number 154388!" declared the bailiff. _"People v. Samantha Lisand,_ charge is murder in the second degree."

"How does your client plead, counselor?" the female judge addressed Lisand's lawyer, an NPC in a business suit.

"Not Guilty," Samantha stated, now clad in a loose blue tank top and matching shorts, her C-cup size bust visible for all to see.

"People on bail?" the judge turned to the ADA.

"The People request remand, Your Honor," stated ADA Rizzoli Isles. She was clad in a tan-colored business suit and skirt, with short jet-black hair, brown eyes and a relatively modest bust. "The defendant is a Lowee national with military experience, who was getting on a bus at the time of her arrest, she's clearly a flight risk."

"If I may, Your Honor," Lisand cut in, "The truth is, I'm a bounty hunter, on a secret mission from Lady Blanc herself." Her lawyer looked at her incredulously, as the crowd began to chatter in confusion from this revelation. "And I maintain that killing was justified self-defense."

The judge banged her gavel to quiet the courtroom. "That's quite a claim, Ms. Lisand... Should we try and contact Lady Blanc for you?" Her voice had a subtle sarcastic undertone to it.

"No need, Your Honor," the blonde shook her head, "I've already used my one phone call to contact her. I'm sure she'll be here soon enough to explain things to your DA's office... In the meantime, I invoke my right to remain silent until she arrives."

"Very well, then," the judge assented, "While you're awaiting your divine intervention, you can sit pretty in one of our maximum-security facilities. Defendant is hereby remanded without bail!" She banged her gavel for the next case to be called, the guard escorting Samantha out...

 _*At the District Attorney's office...*_

"Secret mission from Lady Blanc?!" growled the DA, Allen Curmudgeon. Scratching the back of his slightly balding head, he continued, "What the hell is going on with this case? I thought it was just an Army lieutenant's murder we were prosecuting here..."

"She's invoked her right to remain silent until Lady Blanc gets here," Rizzoli shrugged helplessly. "Also, her current counsel recused himself- didn't think he had what it takes defend a case like this."

"For a CPU to be involved, it must be something pretty major," stated Rizzoli's partner, ADA Jared McCoy. He had light brown hair surrounding a pretty, almost bishonen face with emerald green eyes... One look into said eyes, however, would tell anyone that they were dealing with a hardened prosecutor with several years of experience. "But it doesn't excuse Lieutenant Starr's murder."

"She claims self-defense," Rizzoli pointed out. "And according to what Crisco and Green learned, Starr and his fellow soldiers did appear to fire first, on Major Peloton's orders..."

"I want someone from Starr's unit on the stand, under oath," Jared stated firmly. Just then, the door opened, the three lawyers turning to see a flat-chested woman dressed in white, with a familiar beret sitting on her mop of short brown hair. "Well, speak of the devil..."

"Lady Blanc, I presume," Allen acknowledged. "Good to see Ms. Lisand wasn't just pulling our legs..."

"Are you the District Attorney?" Blanc looked over at the balding man, her clear blue eyes locking with his cloudy grey orbs.

"That's me," the lawyer acknowledged as he shook hands with her, "District Attorney Allen Curmudgeon. This here is Assistant DA Jared McCoy, he's the prosecutor handling your bounty hunter's case."

"An honor to meet you in person," Jared said in a neutral tone as he shook hands with the goddess.

"Rizzoli Isles," Jared's partner introduced herself as she shook hands with Blanc as well.

"Charmed," Blanc nodded. (At her bust isn't that much bigger than mine...)

"Well now that we've gotten the formalities dispensed with," Curmudgeon spoke, "Would you mind telling us what one of your hunters is doing here in Leanbox?!"

In response, Blanc turned and closed the door behind her, before facing the DA once more. "Tell me, sir... have you ever heard of Metroid?"

"Wasn't that an 8-bit game from Lowee's early history?" Jared muttered in confusion.

"Not that one, dammit!" Blanc growled, one eye glowing red. "I'm talking about the steroid!"

"Ah, yes," Curmudgeon nodded in comprehension. "Metroid. An illegal drug that was popular in Lowee during the days when ASIC ran rampant... They said it gave you an incredible boost in strength..."

"But it's super easy to overdose on," Blanc countered. "And when _that_ happens, it's like it has the opposite effect... I've seen what happens to people who OD on Metroid, and it's not a pretty sight... most of the corpses look like they got the damn life sucked right out of them!"

"But I thought it was only viable in Lowee because it needs cold temperatures for its greatest potency," Rizzoli pointed out. "In warmer climates, other steroids are actually more effective, and without such a drastic drawback."

"Not to mention the market collapsed after ASIC was broken up," McCoy added.

"In Lowee, anyway," said Blanc. "But I got intelligence a few months back suggesting somebody had successfully altered the chemical makeup of Metroid to retain its potency for a much longer time in warmer climates. Like hell I was going to allow that crap to be distributed anywhere else in Gamindustri! So I hired one of Lowee's best bounty hunters and sent her on the trail, to find and hopefully stop the drug's shipment."

"Unfortunately, by the time she tracked it down it had already made its way into Leanbox. I told her to try and keep a low profile while she searched for the Metroid, so the drug lord or whoever was trying to sell that shit didn't catch on. But given she's sitting in jail now, that obviously didn't work out!"

"Did she tell you that she shot and killed a Leanbox Army officer?" Jared asked pointedly.

"All I know is that she got arrested on second-degree murder charges," the CPU shot back. "I've got no idea what happened here... but I brought along someone who can find out!" With that, went back to the door, opening it and gesturing for somebody to come in. "She's going to be acting as Lisand's defense counsel... and I don't think any introduction will be necessary." Indeed, as Blanc's lawyer entered, her glasses, heather blue hair, and segmented horn protrusion were unmistakable.

"Rei Ryghts," McCoy acknowledged. "Heard you've been on a world tour of Gamindustri's legal systems lately..."

"Y-yes sir," the former final boss nodded. "Th-though it's been more luck and c-coinicidence th-than anything..." She took a short bow. "I hope that w-we c-can work t-together t-to find out the t-truth of w-what happened h-here..."

"I'm not so sure about this," Curmudgeon muttered. "I heard when she was handling a case in Lastation, she transformed into her goddess form right in the courtroom!"

"I-I'm sorry! I'm so sorry for that! I-I lost my t-temper!" Rei squeaked.

"For your information, the reason she did that was because there was a mob at the courtroom calling for her conviction!" Blanc pointed out. "From what I heard, they just kept chanting 'Guilty, guilty, guilty!' Hell, I would've snapped too!"

"I can believe that," McCoy snarked.

"So you're saying she only assumed her CPU form due to extreme circumstances," Rizzoli summarized.

"Th-that's right," Rei nodded vigorously. "I p-promise, no t-transforming in the c-courtroom this t-time!"

"...that being said, she's going to need an escort while she's here in Leanbox, due to her final boss reputation," said Blanc. "I can't stick around, since I've got my own nation to attend to..."

"Not to mention your unruly sisters," Jared smirked.

"Yeah, that too..." Blanc ducked her head. "Hopefully Ram hasn't made a mess of my book collection while I was gone..."

"I a-already have an idea o-of who I w-want t-to escort me," Rei offered. "C-could you p-please contact him s-so I c-can go d-down to the d-detention center and s-speak with my c-client?"

"We can do that," McCoy nodded.

 _*A little while later, at the prison...*_

The buzzer sounded as the gate opened, allowing Rei to walk back into the visitor's center, where her escort, Petty Officer Adrian-118 was waiting for her, as was one other person...

"M-Miss Macintosh?!" the horned lawyer gasped upon seeing Peashy standing there. "Wh-what are you d-doing here...?"

"The victim was a close friend of mine, and Adrian's," Peach stated simply. "I cannot believe *you* of all people are defending this _scum...!"_

"Meep!" Rei squeaked, sweating slightly. "I-it was a p-personal request from Lady Blanc herself! I c-couldn't just say no...!"

"Lady Blanc?!" the blonde's eyes went wide. "Geez, talk about having friends in high places...!"

"C'mon, Peashy," Adrian interjected, "Look at it this way, this is Rei Ryghts we're talking about here, not some sleazy attorney who'll say or do anything to get their client off. You of all people should know that, given what she went through to save me..."

"Th-that's right," Rei nodded in agreement. "I just want to find out what really happened here..."

"Really..." Peach walked right up to the former goddess. "And if she turns out to be guilty as sin?"

Rei stood on her tiptoes in order to better look Peach in the eye. "If that does happen to be the case," she said slowly, "Then so be it."

Peach held the stare for a few seconds longer, before sighing and taking a step back. "Alright, fine. But I'm gonna hold you to that."

"I'm sure you will," Adrian muttered. "Well, if we're all in agreement, I need to escort Ms. Ryghts to the precinct so she can interview the detectives before the trial..." The petty officer and Rei turned to walk out the door, only for Adrian to turn back to look at his girlfriend. "And Peach, I know you're upset about Joe's death. So am I, believe me. But you have to remember what I taught you when I first started training you in combat years ago..."

"Never let your emotions cloud your judgement," Peashy quoted. "I haven't forgotten that, Adrian... that's why that hunter only got one punch to the stomach."

"I admire your restraint," Adrian snarked as he and Rei departed...

 _*To be continued...*_

As always, leave a review!


	6. ORDER, Part 2

Trial begins! What twists and turns shall we see?

Author Candidate James Scott- It'll be an exciting court battle, for sure...

ROCuevas- Hopefully it gets better from here... :D

Law & Order: Leanbox

ORDER, Part 2

By Derald Snyder

DISTRICT COURT

TRIAL PART 34

APRIL 7, 9:43 AM

"So tell us, Lady Blanc," Jared McCoy inquired to a holoscreen showing the Lowee CPU's face, "What tools or weapons does Ms. Lisand use when she hunts a bounty?"

"She uses a custom-designed powered armor suit," Blanc replied, "with an arm cannon on the right arm. It also has special abilities to increase its speed and maneuverability."

"Such as an enhanced jump?" said McCoy.

"Yes, she has the ability to spin jump several times in the air," Blanc nodded, "As well as a feature that surrounds her suit with lethal amounts of electricity during a spin jump."

"Consistent with witness statements about seeing a swirling ball of energy immediately following the shootout," Jared stated. The CPU's eyes widened slightly at this, but she maintained her composure, even as the crowd began to murmur. The judge banged his gavel once, then nodded at the prosecutor to proceed.

"What about her arm cannon?" Jared asked next.

"It's capable of firing all types of weapons, from pure energy to concussive blasts," Blanc explained.

"Does that include superheated plasma?" McCoy pressed.

"...Yes, that's right," Blanc nodded.

"People's Exhibit 4," the prosecutor said as he pulled a picture from a file folder on his desk. Walking back up to the holoscreen he showed the it to Blanc- a photo of Joseph Starr's corpse with the fatal hole plainly visible. "Would this wound be consistent with a plasma blast fired by Ms. Lisand's arm cannon?"

The CPU's face scrunched up slightly in mild revulsion at seeing the photo. "...Yes, this looks consistent with a charged plasma shot."

"Thank you Lady Blanc. Nothing further," Jared said as he walked back to his desk and sat down.

"No questions for this witness, Your Honor," Rei demurred.

"Very well then," the judge nodded. "Lady Blanc, the court thanks you for taking time out of your busy schedule to testify today. You may return to your goddess duties now."

"Sayonara," sighed Blanc, before cutting the connection.

"Why didn't you cross-examine her?!" Samantha whispered harshly to her lawyer. "The jury needs to know why I was in Leanbox to begin with!"

"And they will," Rei whispered back. "But it was Blanc who hired me in the first place, so questioning her would have been a conflict of interest. Just trust me, I know what I'm doing..."

"I sure hope so..." Lisand sighed as she sat back.

Next, it was Corporal Michael Fitzgerald's turn to testify.

"We were out by Daredevil's Drop, picking up some ordnance," the soldier began, "when suddenly we hear somebody shouting over by the cliff..."

"Was it a male or female voice?" Jared asked.

"Ahh... I dunno, could've been either," Fitzgerald groaned in frustration.

"Did you hear what exactly he or she said?"

"I didn't... but according to the major, they said, 'stop right there, bastards'..."

"OBJECTION! Hearsay!" Rei Ryghts yelled.

"Do you think a military commander like Major Peloton would lie to his men?" Jared pointed out.

"I wouldn't know, I never met the man!" Rei shot back. "So let the major come down and testify to it himself!"

"Enough, Ms. Ryghts. You've made your point," the judge stated. "The jury will disregard the witness' last remark."

The prosecutor took a moment to ponder his next move. "So what happened after that?"

"The major- Major Peloton- ordered us to open fire. So we did."

"Could you see who you were shooting at?" McCoy inquired.

"Just a shadow," the corporal sighed. "Looked like sleek, streamlined armor of some sort... but that's all I could see."

"So what happened when you opened fire?" the prosecutor asked.

"Nothing at first," said Fitzgerald. "I thought we managed pin 'em down, or maybe force 'em to retreat... but then... there was this sound like a flare... and Joe went down."

"By which you mean the victim, Lieutenant Joseph Starr."

"Yes, sir." The crowd murmured slightly at this.

"Could you please be more specific about the victim going down?" McCoy requested.

Fitzgerald took a deep breath. "Well, Joe was... he was in front of me, slightly to my right... He was at the front of the group, so... I guess he was an easy target..." He paused for a moment, to gather himself. "I saw what looked like some bright-red beam shoot right through his chest, leaving a big hole... I knew right then he was dead." The crowd mumbled louder, prompting the judge to bang his gavel.

"What happened after that?" said McCoy.

"We got the order to retreat," the corporal replied. "So we all piled in the transport as fast as we could, and took off... I could hear the guy still shooting after us, but we managed to escape with only a few marks on the hull."

"Did you manage to get all the ordnance loaded?" Jared inquired.

"Yeah, we did..." the soldier nodded. "Once we got back to base, Major Tom... Major Peloton ordered us to offload the ordnance in storage shed 13, and he told us he'd contact JAG first thing in the morning..."

Jared nodded in satisfaction. "Thank you, Corporal. Nothing further." He walked back to his desk and sat down next to Rizzoli.

Rei Ryghts slowly stood up and approached the witness stand. "Corporal... I'm so very sorry for your loss. He sounded like a great guy, according to what Sergeant Macintosh has told me..."

"Yeah," Fitzgerald nodded. "He was like family to us... and vice versa."

Rei nodded back, before biting her lip slightly. "Forgive me if I... sound k-kinda s-stupid h-here, but... why were y-you all the w-way out th-there p-picking up o-ordnance i-in the f-first p-place? Wouldn't you j-just usually receive it at b-base?"

The corporal thought about this for a moment. "Yeah, you're right, we would... but the major said the supplier was on a tight schedule, that's why we did it that way..."

Rei nodded as she briefly walked back to her desk. "Defense Exhibit 1." She retrieved a piece of paper and walked back to the stand. "This is a copy of a contract agreement between my client and Lady Blanc." Placing it in front of the soldier, she said, "Would you please read the highlighted portion?"

"Uh..." Fitzgerald scanned the sheet. "Client is hereby ordered to stop the shipment of the illegal drug 'Metroid' by sinister forces, using all available means at their disposal."

"OBJECTION! Relevance!" declared McCoy.

"Goes to my client's motive, Your Honor," Rei argued.

The judge pondered for a brief moment. "I'll allow it, but watch your step, Ms. Ryghts."

"Wait a minute!" the corporal interjected. "Just what are you insinuating?!"

"Well, riddle me this, _loyal soldier,"_ Rei snarked, "did you or any of your comrades actually look inside the boxes of ordnance you were retrieving?"

"Th... that's not exactly standard procedu-"

 _"Yes or no, maggot?!"_ the horned lawyer growled, causing Fitzgerald to flinch.

"Um, no. No we didn't."

"Do you even know the name of the weapons supplier?"

"Yes, actually," Fitzgerald retorted. "The major told us, it was Ripley Weapons Supply."

"Defense Exhibit 2," stated Rei as she retrieved another piece of paper. "I had Detective Eddie Green trace the number that he and his partner were given by your commander. Turns out, the number for Ripley is actually a burn phone!"

"Wh-what?!" Fitzgerald gasped.

"Not to mention, all the other contact information of Ripley Weapons Supply is faked!" the former goddess exclaimed. Turning toward the gallery, she stated, "This is proof that Ripley Weapons Supply is nothing but a shell company!" The audience started chattering in confusion, while Jared McCoy had the look of a deer caught in the headlights.

"Wait a minute!" the soldier stood up. "Are you saying we were duped into shipping illegal drugs?! _That's_ why this broad shot Joe?!" he pointed at Samantha Lisand.

"Order! Order!" the judge banged his gavel several times. "Witness, calm yourself! This is a court of law! And Ms. Ryghts, you provoke another outburst like this and I will hold you in contempt!"

Rei Ryghts looked defiant. "Sorry, Your Honor... but the truth isn't always pretty."

Meanwhile, Corporal Fitzgerald had sat back down as he took several deep breaths to calm himself. "Look," he began, "the major wouldn't get duped like that. And he sure as hell wouldn't order us to ship drugs willingly!"

"I see." Rei nodded. "Thank you, Corporal. No more questions." She then turned to the judge. "Your Honor, at this time I would like to have Major Thomas Peloton called to the stand. Even if that means we have to adjourn for a bit while he's retrieved."

"Mr. McCoy?" the judge addressed the ADA.

"No objections, Your Honor," Jared conceded. "I'm rather curious as to what the major has to say myself..."

"Vey well, then. This court will now recess while Major Peloton is summoned. We're adjourned." The judge banged his gavel, prompting the gallery to start emptying out...

"That didn't go at all like I was expecting," Rizzoli muttered as the two lawyers gathered their papers. "No wonder she's so successful in Lowee and the other nations..."

"We should have seen this coming," Jared sighed. "Get Crisco and Green to look deeper into this shell company..."

 _*To be continued...*_


	7. ORDER, Part 3

The story continues...

Author Candidate-James Scott- You're thinking of Law & Order: SVU, right...?

ROCuevas- And here's another intense chapter! :P

U- Thanks for your suggestion, but I think I'll have to turn you down. Maybe you could try writing it yourself...

Anyway, ON WITH THE SHOW!

Law & Order: Leanbox

ORDER, Part 3

by Derald Snyder

POLICE DEPARTMENT

CRIMINAL AFFAIRS

APRIL 7, 12:50 PM

"We checked his home, his office, and all over the base. No sign of Major Tom anywhere," Bennie Crisco reported.

"Yeah, and seeing as that contact number for the weapons supplier was a burn phone, we can't trace it," Eddie Green added. "But we did find that their fake contact page came from a server in Lowee..."

"Which corroborate's Lady Blanc's and Ms. Lisand's statements," Lita Van Braun nodded.

"You think the major felt the heat and flew the coop?" Green pondered.

"Well, if he did, none of his subordinates are cooperating," Bennie sighed. "Gotta admire their loyalty if nothing else..."

"Also, we checked Storage Shed 13, turns out it was completely empty," Eddie said. "The guys from Peloton's unit looked pretty confused at that, so..."

"So maybe they _were_ duped. You try asking anyone _outside_ his unit?" Lita suggested.

"Yeah, hey," Eddie snapped his fingers, "Sergeant Peach and her boyfriend were pretty tight with the victim... maybe they could help us out."

"Well, I've always wanted to see the Basilicom," Bennie said. "Guess now's a good a time as any..."

LEANBOX BASILICOM

APRIL 7, 1:30 PM

"Hope we're not interrupting anything between you two lovebirds," Crisco snarked as he and Eddie sat down with Peach and Adrian.

"Nothing that can't wait, Detective," Adrian said.

"Blanc contacted me and told me what was going on," said Vert as she sat by Peach with a cup of tea. "To think that a dangerous shipment of steroids is being distributed through my nation... I shudder to think of the consequences..."

"That's why we need to find Major Peloton," said Eddie. "Right now, he's our only link to finding those drugs."

"So where do we come in?" Peashy asked.

"Well, no-one in Major Tom's unit will tell as anything about where he might've gone," Crisco explained. "A few of 'em even rattled off their name, rank, and serial number to us..."

"Well, as far as they're concerned, the killer's already been caught," Adrian suggested. "Probably think going after their commander is a witch hunt."

"Those _idiots!"_ Peach growled as she banged her fist on the table. "They don't want to even consider the fact that they were duped into shipping drugs?! As far as I'm concerned, it's those drug-pushers' fault Joe's dead! But do they care?!"

"Peach, please, calm yourself," Vert said in a soothing tone as she rested her hand on the blonde's shoulder. "Getting angry isn't going to help us here..." The blonde soldier simply crossed her arms and pouted.

"So, anyway, do either of *you* know where the major might've run off to?" Eddie inquired. "Even just point us in the right direction?"

"Hmm..." Adrian thought for a moment. "Well, now that you mention it, I remember Joe telling me about a place where Major Peloton would head off to sometimes when he was feeling down and wanted some alone time to think... a secluded bar of some sort."

"Did he tell you where?" Bennie pressed.

"Yeah, I know where it is," Adrian said as he stood up. "By your leave, Lady Vert..."

The busty CPU nodded. "Good luck, petty officer."

"I'm coming too!" said Peach as she stood up.

"No, Peashy, I'd rather you didn't," Adrian held up a hand.

"Wh- but why?!" the blonde demanded angrily.

"Because I'm afraid you'll try to punch him out or something," Adrian said calmly. "Look, it's not as if we're going off to battle a horde of monsters here... In fact, if we play this right, we can probably capture Major Tom without throwing a punch or firing a shot." The petty officer then gently embraced his girlfriend. "Please, Peashy, leave this mission to me this time..."

"I'm sure he can handle things, Peach," Vert chimed in. "After all, he *is* one of the best soldiers in the army, rank notwithstanding..."

Peach took a breath. "You're right, Lady Vert. Adrian... just be careful, OK?" She pecked him on the lips.

"I will," Adrian smiled and nodded.

SPARTAN HALO BAR

APRIL 7, 2:40 PM

Sure enough, not long after arriving at the bar, Adrian saw Major Tom walk in and sit down, before ordering a drink. The petty officer counted to three in his head before moving in... "Major Tom!" he called as he approached.

Peloton looked up, doing a double-take. "Wh... Petty Officer Johns! What are you doing here?"

"Joe told me about this place," Adrian explained as he leaned against the bar.

"That doesn't explain why you're here," Tom pointed out.

"I thought it was obvious, sir... I'm here to bring in a traitor!" His sidearm cleared leather and was pointed at the major in an instant.

 _"WHOA!"_ Peloton yelled as he put his hands up, causing the gathered patrons to gasp or cry out in shock. "Stand down, petty officer!"

"I don't answer to your authority!" Adrian retorted. "Detectives!"

Peloton glanced behind him to see Crisco and Green walk up from behind. "Aw, son of a bitch...!"

"Hey, ground control to Major Tom, you're under arrest!" Bennie quipped as he pulled out the cuffs.

"Bet you never heard that one before," Eddie piled on.

"Funny. I want a lawyer," Peloton said as he was cuffed.

"Yeah, you're gonna need one," said Adrian as he holstered his weapon.

"You have the right to remain silent," Crisco read the major his rights as he was walked out of the bar. "Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law..."

 _*To be continued...*_

Did any of you catch the reference? Don't forget to review!


	8. ORDER, Part 4

Here's the penultimate chapter! Yes, the song 'Ground Control to Major Tom' by David Bowie was the reference I was referring to... Also, I took the major's last name from the Peloton line of exercise bikes...

And now... ON WITH THE SHOW!

Law & Order: Leanbox

ORDER, Part 4

by Derald Snyder

 _*At the local prison's visiting room...*_

"It's game over, Major," Jared McCoy stated, as he and Rizzoli Isles sat across from Tom Peloton and his NPC lawyer, the former having had his military uniform swapped for prison garb. "We know that you conspired with Lowee drug lords to ship Metroid into Leanbox under the guise of acquiring military ordnance. _That's_ why Ms. Lisand targeted your unit."

"And as Lady Vert's representative, I feel the need to tell you that she is not happy at all with you right now," said Peashy as she leaned against the wall. "And neither am I, for that matter. Far as I'm concerned, Joe's blood is on _your_ hands, Major..."

"Dammit, Peach," Tom sighed as he ran his hands through his short hair. "Nobody was supposed to get hurt- it was just a one-time deal..."

In response, Jared held up a photo of Joseph Starr's corpse. "I don't think your lieutenant would agree with you..."

"Is there an offer?" Peloton's lawyer cut in.

The prosecutor looked over at Peashy briefly, before returning his cold gaze to the major. "If he tells us who hired him to ship the drugs, and where the drugs are, I might be willing to take the manslaughter charge off the table." When he didn't get a response, he leaned forward. "Your military career is _over,_ Major. But if you cooperate, you might still have a life after prison..."

Peloton heaved a heavy sigh as he clenched his hands and gritted his teeth briefly. Finally, he stared McCoy in the eye, a resigned look on his face. "You ever hear of Adam Scott? The Master Brain?"

"The Master Brain?" Rizzoli gasped. "Wasn't he like, middle-management for ASIC in Lowee a while back?"

"But when the Deity of Sin was defeated, he went underground," McCoy continued. "No-one ever found him... until now."

Major Tom nodded. "I saw him in Spartan Halo Bar a few weeks back. Recognized him from an old picture I'd seen on Gamindustri's Most Wanted TV show. When he left the bar, I followed him for a bit... but then, he suddenly turns around, calls me by name, and holds up 500,000 credits. I dunno how he found out I had money problems... but that's the Master Brain for you."

"You agreed to ship drugs for 500,000 credits?!" Peach spoke up in anger.

"Half a million now, plus a million more when the delivery was safely made," Peloton confessed.

"So Joe's life is worth a million and a half credits," the blonde growled in utter disgust. "I'm sure he'll appreciate that up in Celestia..."

"And what about that bounty hunter?!" Tom shot back. "She's the one who pulled the trigger!"

"And we intend to make her answer for it," Jared cut in. "But _you_ created the circumstances that lead to Lt. Starr's death."

"But now's your chance to start atoning for it," Rizzoli pointed out. "Just tell us where Adam Scott and the drugs are..."

"...I don't know exactly where they went," the major admitted. "But I think I can point you in the right direction."

"How's that?" McCoy asked.

"Well, with as many boxes as we moved, there's only a few places in the immediate area where they could have been stored. And I know the area 'round the base like the back of my hand..."

McCoy then set down a pad of paper and a pen. "Write them down," he instructed, "and you had better hope we get lucky, or no deal." Peloton nodded as he took the pen and began to write...

ABANDONED WAREHOUSE

APRIL 8, 3:59 PM

Bennie, Peach, and several police in riot gear were gathered at the south entrance to the warehouse. The detective himself was outfitted with a protective vest, while Peashy was in full armor. "Hey, Eddie! You ready on your end?" Bennie spoke into the radio.

"Yeah, Mr.- uh, Bennie, We're ready over here," Eddie assented, himself dressed in a similar vest as he and several police were crowded around the eastern entrance to the warehouse.

"You ready, Sergeant?'" Bennie spoke to Peach.

"I was born ready," the blonde punched a fist into her hand. "Let's do this!"

"Alright," Crisco nodded, before speaking into the radio, "On the count of three, everyone... 1,2,3!" With that, Peashy kicked the door open, while Eddie's team used a battering ram, before quickly swarming into the warehouse.

 _"Police! FREEZE!"_

 _"Down on the ground! Get down!"_

Most of the men inside were caught flat-footed by the ambush and promptly raised their hands in surrender. One tried to reach for a gun, only to get punched out by Peashy. Soon, all the criminals were laying on the ground with their hands spread.

"Well, that was easy..." the soldier muttered, before a flash caught her eye. _"LOOK OUT!"_ she screamed as she tackled Crisco, gunshots ringing out, but thankfully the bullets deflected off her armor. Looking up, Peashy saw a man dressed in a cheap purple suit, with matching purple hair that was styled into a single point, and black eyes set into a wrinkled face with a pointed nose and chin. The blonde recognized him from the photo she'd been shown immediately... **"SCOOOOOTTT!"** she screamed in rage, charging at him...

The Master Brain's eyes went wide as he promptly did what any rational human would do when confronted with an angry suit of armor- run like hell. As he tried to escape he pointed his gun behind him, hoping the bullets would at least slow her down...

Only to get tackled in the side by Eddie Green, slamming into the wall and dropping his gun. Before Scott could recover his balance, the detective punched him hard in the face, then followed up with a knee to the groin, then another right hook, which sent the criminal sprawling to the ground, semi-conscious.

Peach slowed to a stop as she looked down at Adam Scott's prone form, then looked up at Eddie who was shaking his hand in mild pain. "Not bad, Green," she complimented. "You might have just redeemed yourself."

"Heh... thanks, Peach." Eddie couldn't help but grin, as Peach bent down and dragged Adam back to his feet.

"Hey, look what we found!" exclaimed Bennie as he walked up, holding a clear bag with several round green pills inside, which had three tiny red dots in their centers.

"That must be the Metroid," Eddie observed.

"Yeah, too bad you didn't take any of this before we showed up," the older detective snarked to Scott. "You mighta actually stood a chance..."

"How... did you find me...?" the criminal groaned as he was cuffed by Eddie.

"Word of advice, buster," Peashy stuck a finger in his face. "Next time, don't bribe a Leanbox Army officer into doing your dirty work! Take him away."

"Adam Scott, you're under arrest for illegal drug possession with intent to sell," Bennie stated as he and Green walked him out of the warehouse to the waiting police car. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney..."

 _*At the DA's office...*_

"So you caught the bastard?" Blanc's voice crackled slightly over the holoscreen.

"Red-handed," Jared proclaimed. "Not to mention he tried to shoot Crisco. Good thing Sergeant Macintosh was there... You gonna request extradition?"

The CPU shook her head. "You can *have* that piece of shit for all I care... just make sure he doesn't weasel out on a technicality."

"I highly doubt it," Rizzoli spoke up. "His lawyer's already begging for a plea bargain."

"I _might_ be inclined to take the death penalty off the table," McCoy said.

"As long as he never roams the streets again, fine by me. So what about Samantha?" Blanc inquired.

"Rei Ryghts refuses to deal," Rizzoli shrugged. "She says she's the type of lawyer that prefers to see trials through to the end..."

"Yeah, that sounds like her, all right..." the goddess smiled slightly. "Well, could I at least ask for you to go easy on her during sentencing, if she's convicted?"

The three lawyers exchanged glances. "We'll see what we can do," Allen Curmudgeon eventually responded.

Blanc nodded. "Guess that's the best I can hope for..." Suddenly there was a crash behind her, Mina Nishizawa's scolding voice being heard... "Ah, dammit... Sorry, I gotta go. _RAM!"_ she yelled just before the call ended.

"...makes me glad I never had a younger sibling," McCoy quipped.

"I *was* the younger sibling," Rizzoli said. "But at least I grew up, eventually..."

"In any case, it's time to make Ms. Lisand face the music," stated Allen. "Make sure your closing statement's in order for tomorrow..."

 _*To be concluded...*_

It's all over but the verdict... leave a review!


	9. Epilogue

And now, the final chapter!

ON WITH THE SHOW!

Law & Order: Leanbox

Epilogue

by Derald Snyder

DISTRICT COURT

TRIAL PART 34

APRIL 11, 10:15 AM

"Madam Foreperson," stated the judge, "Has the jury reached a verdict?"

"We have, Your Honor."

The judge nodded. "The defendant will rise." Samantha Lisand and Rei Ryghts slowly rose to their feet. "What is your verdict?"

"We the jury, on the charge of Murder in the Second Degree, hereby find the defendant, Miss Samantha Lisand, Not Guilty." The crowd began to murmur... _"However,_ Your Honor," she quickly continued, "we find the defendant Guilty of the lesser charge of Manslaughter in the First Degree."

"So say you all?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

The judge nodded in satisfaction. "Defendant is hereby remanded to custody, pending sentencing." He then banged his gavel to bring a formal end to the trial.

McCoy and Isles quietly gathered their papers in preparation to leave, McCoy briefly looking over at the defense's bench. Rei and Samantha were exchanging some hushed words with each other, before the bounty hunter was escorted out of the room by the bailiff...

 _*Outside, on the courtroom steps...*_

"I thank the jury for rendering a fair verdict in this case," stated Allen Curmudgeon as he stood in front of a small crowd of reporters, with McCoy and Isles at his sides. "And I hope that this sends a strong message to Lowee's government- that next time criminal activity in their nation spills into Leanbox, they will work with the _local authorities_ to resolve the situation, instead of sending a bounty hunter in to wreak havoc at will."

Meanwhile, a short distance away, the commander-in-chief of the Leanbox Army was having his own mini-press conference, Adrian and Peashy standing with him. "...Joseph Starr will be given a proper military burial with full honors, as well as being posthumously promoted to First Lieutenant. As for Thomas Peloton," he continued, "he will be stripped of his rank and given a dishonorable discharge for his shameful actions which have _disgraced_ this army. Also, I wish to thank both Staff Sergeant Peach Macintosh and Petty Officer First Class Adrian Johns for their assistance in bringing this investigation to a satisfactory conclusion." The four-star general then shook hands with Adrian, giving a tight smile, before turning to Peach and doing the same, the gathered reporters lightly applauding...

 _*Later that night...*_

Jared McCoy walked into his usual bar, but as he approached the bartender, he was slight taken aback to see Rei Ryghts sitting there, Peach sitting to her left, dressed casually. "Ms. Ryghts," he acknowledged.

"Hello, Mr. McCoy," Rei turned and nodded at him. "Your co-workers t-told me y-you like t-to c-come here after hours..."

"Did they now," Jared muttered as he sat down and ordered his usual drink. "And you're escorting her now, Sergeant Macintosh?"

"Just Peach is fine. And yeah, I took over for Adrian," the blonde responded. "And before you ask, yes this is root beer. With my strength and having gotten a little of Mom's bad temper, it's a better idea for me to stay sober 100% of the time."

"I won't judge," the prosecutor shrugged. "But why did you want to see me, Ms. Ryghts?"

"I j-just wanted t-to say... that th-there are no hard f-feelings," the former goddess said. "Y-you were j-just d-doing your j-job after all..."

"Oh? So you're not upset that I ended your international win streak?" McCoy inquired as he sipped at his drink.

"W-with all d-due respect, Mr. McCoy," Rei shook her head, "I d-don't see it th-that way. After all... w-wee figured out th-the real t-truth of what happened, the _real_ c-criminals have b-been caught and p-put behind b-bars, and I even m-managed t-to get my c-client convicted on a lesser ch-charge. As far as I'm c-concerned, th-that's a win in my book..."

Jared blinked a few times, nonplussed. "Huh... wish we had more defense attorneys like you here in Leanbox..."

"And I wish there were more prosecutors like you in Lowee," Rei replied.

"Like they say, 'the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence'," Peach quoted.

"Mm-hmm," Rei nodded, before raising her glass. "A toast," she proposed, "to justice served."

"I'll drink to that," Jared agreed.

"Me too," said Peach.

The three clinked their glasses together, before downing their drinks...

 _Executive Producer_

 _DICK WOLF_

~*Fin*~

Case closed! Thanks to all who faved/followed this story!


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